Improvement in street-cars



J. A. MILLER Car Starter.

Patented Jan. 26, 1864.

Inventor:

Witnesses.

MA @M AM. PHOT0'L|THU.C0.N,Y. (DSBORNE'S PROCESS.)

. UNITED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

JOSE AUGUSTUS MILLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IgM PROVE-M ENT IN ST REET-CARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 41,386, dated January :26, 1864.

To all whom/ it may concern.-

Beit known that I, J osE AUGUSTUS MIL- LER, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Street-Cars; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a longitudinal vertical section of my invention. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan of the same. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the plat-form and device for releasing the brake.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the three views.

This invention consists in the arrangement of a momentum-saving friction-brake in combination with the hand-wheel and shaft,which serves to operate the ordinary brake, and with a treadle and sliding clutch, in such a manner that by the act of turning the hand-wheel, whereby the ordinary brake is applied, the momentum-saving brake is also brought in operation, and by stepping on the treadle the ordinary brake is taken od, and the meinentum-saving brake assists in starting the car.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use myinvention, I will proceed to describeit.

A represents the body of a street-car, which may be constructed of wood or metal in any desirable shape and manner. This car rests on three axles, C C C, to which the wheelsB B B are secured.

The brake of my car is operated by a handwheel, D, secured to an upright shaft, E, which is situated on the platform in the ordinary manner. The chain which connects the shaft E with the brake-head is secured to a loop, a, in a drum, b, th'at rotates freely on said shaft near to its lower end. The drum b is rendered rigid on the shaft by a clutch, e, which can be thrown in or out of gear with said drum by a treadle, d, which projects slightly above the platform, as clearly shown in Fig. 8.

The shaft E connects by means of a chain, e, with the long arm f of a bell-crank lever, f g, which has its fulcrum on a sleeve, F, that rotates freely on the axle C. The short arm g of the bell-crank lever f g is pivoted to a ring, h, which turns loosely in a groove turned into the sliding disk G. This disk is attached to the axle C by means of a key, so that it is compelled to rotate with the same, but at the same time allowed to slide on itin a longitudinal direction.

H is a ring which turns loosely on the axle C', and which is situated between the sliding disk G and a shoulder, I, projecting from the inside of one of the wheels, B. The ring His rmly attached to iiexible springs J, which are secured to the under side of the platform of the car.

If the shaft E is rotated, the bell-crank leverf g forces the disk G up against the ring H and causes the same to bind between it and the shoulder I of the wheel, compelling said ring to rotate with the axle.

By the rotary motion of the ring H the springs J are wound up and the momentum of the car is accumulated. At the same time by rotating the shaft F the ordinary brake is applied and the car stops. If it is desired to start the car, the treadle d is depressed, and thereby the drum bis thrown out of gear with the clutch c and allowed to rotate freely on the shaft E. The ordinary brake is consequently taken off, and by the action of the v springs J on the ring H and through it on the wheels B B the operation of starting the car is facilitated.

By this arrangement the driver isenabled in stopping the car to save the momentum, and to use the powerv thus saved, simply by taking off the ordinary brake, for the purpose of facilitating the operation of starting the car.

What I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combined arrangement of a vmomentum-saving friction-brake substantially such as herein described with the hand-wheel and shaft, which serves to operate the ordinary brake, and with a treadle, d, sliding clutch, c, and drum b, or their equivalents, all constructed and operating in the manner and for the purpose substantially as set forth.

2. The arrangement of the ring H with springs I in combination with the sliding disk G and axle C', of a street-car, constructed and operating in the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein shown and described.

JosE AUGUSTUS MILLER. 

